When Ted Davis (aka DJ STEPDAD) first moved to New York in 2022, his name had become synonymous with the horizontal world of ambient music. From journalism documenting ambient music to cameos on NTS and The Lot Radio, if it was murky, hazy, and a bit weird, odds were that Davis was rinsing it — and probably reviewing it. The DJ STEPDAD project was the culmination of Davis's impeccably oddball taste — an emerging if-you-know-you-know force among left-field DJs.

But things have changed over the course of the past few years. A series of layoffs; the ongoing collapse of music journalism; and finding himself in darker, sweatier parties in the city that never sleeps brought Davis further and further into the club. You could hear him working through this transition on his 2024 EP, time to figure things out, but the feels were still very much slow and lazy Sunday morning. On his debut LP for Akasha System and Justin Depth’s Image Research label, mike, Davis leaves the wife and stepkids at home for a Saturday night, knees up.

The record is a smorgasbord of the chef's choicest cuts of club music, past and present. On a track like "paul" you can hear New York's new guard dub revivalism slowly morph into a throwback rave banger — with a slight tropical flavor. The post-dubstep vocal chops of "chuck" fade into what Davis christens "hipster spa music" that takes shape in his vocal collaboration with Sienna Kresge (Gelli Haha), "justin." The effect of the latter is like entering a fantasy world where DJ Healer soundtracks a restorative pool day somewhere in a Tulum jungle. Davis even gets a bit techno on "dan," as sharp 909s firework across the stereo field.

What holds all of this together is Davis's trademark blend of humor and sincerity. Each track is named after a dude that Davis knows through the music scene — from his eponymous stepdad Mike to his other pals. In a moment where even your uncle's new girlfriend uses terms like "incel" and "toxic masculinity" at the Thanksgiving table, the record is a needed antidote to the online manosphere. There are no Chads or Sigmas here. Instead, mike is a Friday night utopia where the vibes are always on point, the beer always cold, all your friends are in town, and every weekend's long. - Henry Ivry 

Released November 7, 2025

Written and recorded by Theodore Sage Davis
Helpful mixing feedback from Will Wiesenfeld
Vocals on “justin” courtesy of Sienna Kresge
Vocal manipulation on “justin” courtesy of Chris Cubbison
Matered by Zac Emerson
Art and design by Alex Conradt
Cassette design by Justin Myers

IR031 - DJ STEPDAD - mike

IR030 - DJ STEPDAD - mike - justin (feat. Domestic Pleasures)

New York's DJ Stepdad lands on Image Research Records with his debut album, mike.

DJ Stepdad is the moniker of music journalist and radio host Ted Davis who has become synonymous with ambient music from documenting each month's best releases for Bandcamp Daily and Stereogum to guest shows on NTS and The Lot. On 'mike', Ted steps up to showcase his breadth of influences across the club spectrum. From post-dubstep, New York's new guard dub revivalism to techno, mike has it all.  What holds all of this together is DJ Stepdad's trademark blend of humor and sincerity. Each track is named after a man that Ted knows through the music scene, from the eponymous stepdad Mike to his other pals.

The album details are all revealed today alongside the release of the contemplative single, 'frank', with the full album slated for the 4th November. 

@tddvsss
@image-research

Premiere: DJ Stepdad - frank (Image Research Records)

DC Promo Tracks #1777: "chuck" by DJ STEPDAD is part of the release "mike" on Image Research @image-research  

Buy from: https://djstepdad.bandcamp.com/album/mike 

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DC Promo Tracks: DJ STEPDAD "chuck"

When Ted Davis (aka DJ STEPDAD) first moved to New York in 2022, his name had become synonymous with the horizontal world of ambient music. From journalism documenting ambient music to cameos on NTS and The Lot Radio, if it was murky, hazy, and a bit weird, odds were that Davis was rinsing it — and probably reviewing it. The DJ STEPDAD project was the culmination of Davis's impeccably oddball taste — an emerging if-you-know-you-know force among left-field DJs.

But things have changed over the course of the past few years. A series of layoffs; the ongoing collapse of music journalism; and finding himself in darker, sweatier parties in the city that never sleeps brought Davis further and further into the club. You could hear him working through this transition on his 2024 EP, time to figure things out, but the feels were still very much slow and lazy Sunday morning. On his debut LP for Akasha System and Justin Depth’s Image Research label, mike, Davis leaves the wife and stepkids at home for a Saturday night, knees up.

The record is a smorgasbord of the chef's choicest cuts of club music, past and present. On a track like "paul" you can hear New York's new guard dub revivalism slowly morph into a throwback rave banger — with a slight tropical flavor. The post-dubstep vocal chops of "chuck" fade into what Davis christens "hipster spa music" that takes shape in his vocal collaboration with Sienna Kresge (Gelli Haha), "justin." The effect of the latter is like entering a fantasy world where DJ Healer soundtracks a restorative pool day somewhere in a Tulum jungle. Davis even gets a bit techno on "dan," as sharp 909s firework across the stereo field.

What holds all of this together is Davis's trademark blend of humor and sincerity. Each track is named after a dude that Davis knows through the music scene — from his eponymous stepdad Mike to his other pals. In a moment where even your uncle's new girlfriend uses terms like "incel" and "toxic masculinity" at the Thanksgiving table, the record is a needed antidote to the online manosphere. There are no Chads or Sigmas here. Instead, mike is a Friday night utopia where the vibes are always on point, the beer always cold, all your friends are in town, and every weekend's long. - Henry Ivry 

https://www.instagram.com/tddvsss/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/image.research.records/

https://soundcloud.com/image-research

PREMIERE: DJ STEPDAD - dan [Image Research]

PLEASE SEND ALL DEMO SUBMISSIONS TO IMAGE.RESEARCH.RECORDS@GMAIL.COM

Image Research is about the intersection of mind and sound. We offer worldly transmissions and intimate visual accompaniments from places and times in the deep imagination. Detailed physical artifacts for home use and the aurally fascinated.